Lord Wagner's Leagcy
by Skiltch
Summary: Kurt is invited to an old castle for eighty million dollars... and then everyone tries to slay him.


Lord Wagner's Legacy

Disclaimer: Anything familiar is theirs. Anything unfamiliar is mine. Please ask to borrow. Anything in the middle is good to eat. Andrei is Internutter's. 

__

When shall I be dead and rid

Of the wrong my father did?

How long, how long, till spade and hearse

Put to sleep my mother's curse?

T. H. White, The Once and Future King

(National Ancestry Department of Germany)

…Lord Franz Wagner married Miss Jilat Kans, and had 5 sons: Igor, Sven, Dracs, Haemon, and Gerrard Wagner…

…The oldest was Dracs. He married Lane Castov and they had a son named Mann. They moved to Chicago. Mann joined the army and, because of his sheer tactical brilliance and immense strength, became the youngest Major in the Marines at 18…

…The twins Haemon and Gerrard married Wuhster Kane and Lirael Van Sewn. Little is known about them, aside from the fact that Lirael was a lycanthrope. Haemon and Wuhster had the child Wersh Wagner, and Gerrard and Lirael begot Fann Wagner. The former family is in Berlin, Germany, the latter in Heirelong, Romania. They are both 17…

…Igor married Cho Lee Chan. They had one male child, Dietrech. Dietrech is now the ruler of a small Chinese city named Poi. He is 16 years old. We could not find how he came to rule the city.

…Sven married Leola Roms and they adopted a child, Kurt. Kurt moved to Bayville, New York…

…You are probably wondering why the language here is so varied and imprecise, sir. This is from two reasons:

First, no one has ever had criteria such as you (i.e., ignoring females and describing major accomplishments). Our computers were simply not programmed to put together your request.

Second, while others have researched the illustrious Mann and the mysterious Dietrech, while Lirael's family has looked for her and Kurt himself has searched for his father, no one has ever researched Lord Franz Wagner…

(China Times, Travel, Page 3)

The city Poi is a secluded, rural area, run by Dietrech Wagner since the Magistrate disappeared. Dietrech runs it well. Uprisings and crime are almost nonexistent, taxes are low, and people are happy…

…I asked what system Wagner used to discipline criminals. Most people shrugged…

…A few people, perhaps former criminals, blanched, shuddered, and ran off…

…And one old, kind man simply stared off into the distance at something only visible to him and began muttering, "lightning… lightning… lightning…"

(Handwritten list found in a hotel room in Berlin)

Dietrech

Dracs 

Fann

Gerrard

Haemon

Igor

Jason

Kurt

Mann

Stanford

Suchaford

Sven

Wersh

The Butler summoned the 5 other staff members of their Master's house.

"Lord Wagner is dead.

"You know your tasks.

"You have one day to prepare.

"And then you will obey our Master's last command."

Dietrech Wagner looked at the mailman. "You're on time."

"Yes, milord."

"I'm glad you remembered your… lesson."

"Yes, milord." The mailman shivered and hander him some letters.

"Praise… praise… junk… praise… my grandfather died? I don't have a grandfather, my parents are both dead…" He skimmed the last letter, saw the last line, read it several times, and grinned a predatory smile. Then, he turned to the mailman. "Dismissed."

The mailman nodded and turned to go… and then tripped on the floor, spilling envelopes everywhere. "Sorry, milord." He tried gathering them up, and accidentally knocked over a vase with water. He caught the vase, but the water splashed on the floor. "Sorry, milord."

Dietrech frowned. "Why, that was very bad of you. You messed up my floor. My, I'm afraid I'll have to give another lesson."

The mailman paled.

Dietrech clapped his hands and chanted. A fireball appeared in his hands. He flung it just over the mailman's head, where it detonated, showering the worker with flame. "Ooh, that must hurt. Well, don't worry. If you make a mistake next time, it will hurt much more. I'm consistent like that."

The mailman quickly grabbed the rest of his letters and fled. 

Dietrech smiled, "He didn't even put out the flames before he left. Now let's see…" he returned to pursuing the letter and muttered, "The wizards Chan and Hon Lee, and the witch Lin should do…"

The Cook busily chopped vegetables for the funeral feast, and also began preparing the next day's evening meal. One of those preparations was sharpening a long cutting knife. 

The Cook smiled. This would be fun.

In Romania, there was a small village. To outsiders, this village and the people of this village looked normal. Indeed, only the villagers knew the secret of the town.

Fann Wagner walked out of his house and kissed his girlfriend. "Libby, tonight, we shall dance together at the Turning Fest, and then we shall transform and--"

"I know, my dear." Libby smiled and gave Fann a kiss on the cheek.

Fann grinned. "Mail… hmm, it appears that one of my blood has died…'Come to the castle tomorrow at 8:00 PM…" he gasped. "I must say, that's simply amazing."

"What?"

"See this."

Libby looked at the last line.

"WOW! But how, I ask, shall we arrive?"

"My funds as a noble are… substantial. I am sure I shall be able to buy us seats on a 'plane' in Jotville, and secure horses in Berlin."

The two of them, both werewolves, grinned.

The Priest calmly cleaned the chapel, preparing for tomorrow's guests. He would have to enlighten them in the ways of the Lord.

And what better way to finally teach them about Christ than to send them to Him?

It was a problem ideally suited for Major Mann Wagner's tactical mind. 20 diplomats and officials captured and held hostage by Baathist loyalists in an office cafeteria, full of objects and debris. It would be really hard for the vast majority of tacticians to get the innocents out alive.

Mann was in that other minority.

He and his 5 men calmly marched through the door, eyeing the various Iraqi's hiding behind tables and the one with a gun to the Mayor's head. The Iraqi froze, simply because this was an odd thing to do. After all, the American's could be taken out in a nanosecond--

Then Mann shot the Mayor in the arm, then the other arm.

The Iraqi leader looked from the Mayor to Mann and back. Why wasn't the Mayor screaming? And what was he--

__

Then Mann and his men opened fire.

The stunned extremists did not recover from their shock in time. They died quickly, not even scratching one hostage.

Mann, the youngest Major in the US Marine Corps, smiled. "Special ammo. Two blanks, ten bullets, lots of dead terrorists."

Then a Private ran through the door and snapped to attention. "Mail, Major!" 

Mann turned. "WHAT? Oh, at ease. But what is mail doing on the front line?"

"The General insisted, sir. He read the letter. He also said you'd get leave to do 'this.'" The Private gestured to the letter. "He said he knows what it's like 'to lose a loved one while away.'"

Mann knew that the General hadn't given him leave when his Dad had died two weeks ago, and wondered at the attitude change. Then he read the letter -- and whistled. "Somehow, I doubt the General's motives are pure…"

The Guard whistled at his post and thought about Lord Wagner's will. He would follow it to the death.

But preferably someone else's instead.

When a human and a horse bred, they made the first centaur. When a human and a centaur bred, they did not make a ¾ human, ¼ horse thing, but rather the bizarre weretaur, humans that could change into centaurs at will. It was almost unbelievable.

But Wersh Wagner was living proof.

He morosely opened his door and got his mail. He had been depressed ever since his father had died a month ago, and now it looked like he had lost some grandfather as well, and would he please bring his girlfriend, first friend, and best friend to a castle to receive…

"Woah."

The last Knight on the planet swung his sword around and chopped scarecrows to bits. The pretty Maid watched. Both thought of what would happen the next day. Both were happy.

Both enjoyed battles.

Scott blinked as Kurt zipped by. "YAHOO!"

"What?"

Kurt grinned. "Some grandfather I never knew I had died, and left me a ton of money. I just have to go to his castle with Evan, Andrei, and Amanda to--"

"You aren't sad about your grandfather?"

"Well, I didn't know him, and besides, it's a lot of money."

"How much?"

"Oh… eighty million dollars. In American currency."

"WHAT?"

Kurt's smile grew wider. "Ja. I just have to show up with my friends."

"Aren't I a friend?"

"Yes, but it asks specifically for my best friend, first friend, and girlfriend. Relax, Scott. Look, what could go wrong?"

DRAMATIS PERSONAE

THE STAFF

The Butler

The Cook 

The Guard

The Knight

The Maid

The Priest

THE HEIRS

Dietrech Wagner (male wizard)

Fann Wagner (male werewolf)

Kurt Wagner (male mutant)

Major Mann Wagner (male human)

Wersh Wagner (male weretaur)

THE GUESTS

Chan Lee (male wizard)

Hon Lee (male wizard)

Lin Pong (female witch)

Kend Ewen (male werewolf)

Libby Kissin (female werewolf)

Nonsta Mond (male werewolf)

Evan Daniels (male mutant)

Andrei Guissemann (male centaur)

Amanda Sefton (female human)

Private Jacob Lewis (male human)

Amy Mainer (female human)

Lieutenant Yosho Reeves (male human)

Kylee Strauss (male weretaur)

Joseph Tanner (male weretaur)

Bonnie Van Wurst (female weretaur)

Evan looked around. "So, K-Man, will you give me a few million when we're done?"

Kurt laughed. "Perhaps."

The two of them, plus Andrei Guissemann and Amanda Sefton, were walking on a road through a German forest. The scenery was breathtaking, but Kurt's mind was solely on the money waiting for him at the castle.

After seeing the letter, Xavier had warned Kurt that it was probably a chain letter, but had agreed to scan the letter's writer (named only The Butler). Xavier found that the writer was telling the truth, and agreed to fly Kurt and his friends to Germany. Evan had agreed to go right away, and Amanda's parents had let her go once he had said he'd give them a few million bucks and Xavier had promised that he'd ground Kurt for a year if anything… inappropriate happened between him and their daughter. The three had traveled to Heirelgart the next day via X-Jet, where they had picked up an enthusiastic Andrei ("He's so cool!" Amanda had gushed) and were now walking to the castle. Andrei had on a new holographic projector from Xavier, which gave him the appearance of a gangly boy with a huge backpack so no one would bump into him. 

Amanda hugged Kurt, then squealed as Kurt's tail wrapped around her waist. "Hey! That tickles!"

Clip-clop. Clip-clop.

Kurt swiveled around. "What… What is that?"

Clip-clop. Clip-clop.

"It sounds like… horses," Amanda said.

Kurt quickly flicked on his holowatch just as several people on horseback rounded a bend in the road approached them.

"Heel!" The leader, a tall boy who radiated a sense of calmness, stopped his horse. "Well met, fellow travelers. Where fare you?"

Kurt felt oddly formal. "Um… to an old castle down the road. Who are you?"

"My name is Fann. I hail from the city of Heirelon of Romania. Where is your origin?"

Evan said, "If you're from Romania, how do you speak English?"

Amanda answered, "Heirelon is a very secluded British colony. I studied it for my Romania report." Amanda eyed the Romanian. "I wonder why he's out here."

In the meantime, Fann dismounted his horse. Taking no notice of the introduction, he said, "These are my companions. My lovely betrothed, Libby Kissin, my best friend Kend, and my very first playmate, Nonsta V. Mond. Pray tell, who are you?"

_Future wife?_ _He can't be more than sixteen!_ "Uh… I am Kurt. Kurt Wagner. And this is Amanda, Andrei, and--"

"Wagner?" Fann tilted his head. "Of Lord Franz Wagner?"

"Kurt said, "Yes. How did you know?"

Fann straightened. "I know because I am Fann Wagner, grandson and heir of Lord Franz Wagner. It appears we are going to the same place. I will see you at the castle." He jumped on his horse, and the four Romanians sped off.

Andrei watched him go. "[Kurt, you never mentioned other heirs.]"

"[I didn't know!]" Kurt reread his letter. "[It doesn't say anything about other heirs!]"

"[Calm down, I was just saying.]"

"Let's just move on," Amanda said, catching the tone of the Germans' conversation.

They were about one hundred paces away when they heard…

A jeep?

Kurt winced as a jeep zoomed past them at over ninety mph, then blinked in surprise as it stopped and headed backwards towards them. As it neared, the passenger door opened and a man -- no, an older boy -- jumped out. "Need a lift?"

"Um… no." Kurt was about to say more when another car drove around the bend and stopped just before it smashed the jeep. The new driver rolled down the window. "[What's the hold-up? I need to get through.]" The driver's German was almost flawless.

The first boy looked at the new driver. "Huh?"

"He wants to pass," Kurt translated.

"Oh. Well, if you don't need any help…" The boy got back into his jeep. "What's your name, anyway?"

The driver of the other car honked.

Kurt smiled. "Kurt. Yours?"

"My name is Major Mann Wagner!" Mann grinned. "The best tactician you'll ever see. Come on, Private Lewis, let's go!" The jeep sped off.

Kurt and the others looked at each other. "Another Wagner?"

Andrei sniffed the air, frowned, turned to the other car. "[I might know him…]" He walked closer and sniffed again, then smiled and flicked off his hologram. "[Wersh!]"

The window rolled down, and a human head stuck out. The boy looked to be about fifteen, sad, and morose. He began to converse with Andrei in German.

Kurt translated quietly. "They're old friends, but their families stopped them from hanging out because… Welsh is only a half centaur, or a weretaur… oh great.

"What?"

"Wersh is also a Wagner."

Andrei finished the conversation and watched as the car followed Mann's jeep. "[Well, he was grumpy. His girlfriend Bonnie was pleasant, though.]"

Evan cleared his throat. "Kurt, if you're done meeting long lost relatives, maybe we can move on and get to the castle within this century."

They arrived at the castle near dusk. The Guard waved them in, where they were met by the Butler.

Kurt stepped forward. "[I am Kurt Wagner. I am here to claim my inheritance.]"

The Butler nodded. "[The others are already in the dining hall. Please follow me.]" He gestured at Kurt's guests. "[Please direct your friends up the stairs. The Maid and the Priest will show them to their rooms.]"

Kurt entered the dining hall and looked around. 

Fann and Mann were talking animatedly about some battle that Mann had fought in (Mann, oddly, was in full ceremonial dress, including a big sword). Wersh was silently drinking a glass of wine, and a fourth guest delicately ate some kind of chicken appetizer. 

Kurt sat next to the last guest. "Hi. [Hi.]"

The guest turned and looked at him. "Hello."

"What's your name?"

"Dietrech."

"Wagner?"

Dietrech rolled his eyes. "Yes."

At that moment, the Cook entered with the main course. "Dinner. [Dinner.]"

Kurt grinned.

The Butler did two things after dinner was eaten.

First, he turned on a radio. This pre-WWII device would allow what he said next to be broadcast to the guest rooms.

Then, he entered the dining hall and began to speak, first in German, than English, than Chinese.

"Lord Wagner was a rich man. When he died, he left eighty million dollars to his 5 male descendants, blood or adopted, and their close friends. If they were worthy.

"And so he hired five skilled warriors as servants. The Cook. The Priest. The Guard. The Knight. The Maid."

"I'm getting a bad feeling about this," said Mann.

"You will now try to escape this castle. The servants will try to stop you. Survivors will receive an equal share of the money."

There was a stunned silence.

Then Dietrich raised his hand.

The Butler smiled, like he knew this would happen. "Yes?"

"Can we… hinder each other?"

"You are [i]_supposed_[/i] to hinder each other."

The Butler turned and strode out of the room.

Amanda and Libby had been comparing their respective boyfriends when Andrei and Kend ran into the lounge.

"We must depart," Kend proclaimed. "The Butler has declared a Battle Royale between us and the household staff. We must flee."

Wersh's and Mann's groups ran in. "We have to--" Amy Mainer began.

"Leave, I know." Amanda swore. "What's a Battle Royale, though?"

"A duel to the death." Evan and Nonsta Mond entered as Private Jacob Lewis spoke. "The staff will try to kill us. Whoever gets out alive gets a cut of eighty mill."

"Least we make money off of this," Evan grumbled. "Let's--"

Then Dietrech's group walked in. But they looked different.

They looked… very, very happy.

"Hello," said Lin. "Time to die!"

Kurt stood up as the Butler left. "Right. We have to--"

And Dietrech also rose. "No, we don't."

Kurt became nervous and moved to the other side of the table. "Um…"

And Dietrech raised his hands, cried something, and threw a fireball at Kurt! Kurt winced…

But the searing heat never hit him. 

Kurt opened his eyes.

The fireball detonated across the ceiling. Major Mann was on the table, holding his slightly scorched ceremonial sword. "Surely you can do better!"

Dietrech growled and fired several lightning bolts. Mann parried each one.

Then Kurt found a hand on his shoulder. "Come on!" cried Wersh.

The two of them fled the room.

Lightning bolts flew across the lounge. Only one bolt hit, but it was enough to literally rip Kend Ewen apart.

Amanda dashed for the door. "Come on!" She flung it open and burst into the hall. Wersh's and Mann's groups followed, then Evan and Andrei.

Amanda suddenly realized that Libby and Monsta Mond weren't there--

Then she heard growls from the lounge.

Growls?

A wolf body was flung through the door. Even as it landed, it began remorphing into Nonsta Mond.

Jacob screamed.

_Okay. Why is that wolf remorphing into Mond? Who cares?!_ "Let's get out of here!" cried Amanda. [AN: In case anyone cares, the werewolf mythology of this story implies that it takes conscious control to wolf-morph when there is no full moon, so when Mond died, he lost control for obvious reasons. For the werewolf enthusiasts.]

They were almost out of the hallway when Libby howled her death cry.

Kurt and Wersh were running down a different hall when Kurt spotted an open door. "[In here!]"

The two dove in, and Wersh slammed the door. "[Close one.]"

The two began to move down the new hallway, and Kurt said, "[You don't seem to be very depressed anymore.]"

"[Well, I'm doing something useful. More useful than just school, anyway.]" Wersh paused. "[After my sickly father died, and I couldn't take care of him, I felt useless. Now I'm taking care of you, brother.]"

"[Thanks.]" Kurt grined. "[You know, you're almost as noble as Fann.]"

"[Aw, thanks.]"

The two came to another door. Kurt opened it…

Mann saw Fann leave out of the corner of his eye and nodded. Then, he parried another lightning bolt.

He hadn't had this much fun since his unit was pinned down in Tikrit by guerrillas with machine guns.

Dietrich fired another bolt, and Mann did the unexpected. Instead of reflecting it up or behind him, he shot it down at the table.

The bolt blasted the table into two pieces and set it afire. Dietrech cursed as his next bolt was destroyed by the flames. "Curse these flammable bolts!" He sprinted around the table, but Mann was already out the door by the time he had a shot at the Major.

Mann slammed the door shut, bolted it, and kept running. He set out to find Wersh and Kurt. Fann could take care of himself.

Kurt and Wersh found themselves in the kitchen. Despite the circumstances, Kurt had to concentrate on not drooling as he eyed the mountains of food.

Shelves of condiments and breads lined the walls. Several prepared ducks lay in a single bin that Kurt peeked into. Chickens hung from the rafters…

Wersh nudged Kurt. "[We can snack later. We have to keep moving.]"

"[Yeah.]" Kurt began walking again--

And the Cook pounced on him with a knife!

Kurt screamed and only just dodged the blow. The Cook reversed his thrust and swung at Wersh, who also barely dodged. 

And the fight was on.

All of the remaining groups save Dietrech's raced up various flights of stairs.

"Why are we going up!" Amanda cried.

"They'll never expect it," said Lieutenant Checks. "They'll put their guys downstairs while we go up. Then Mann will come and get us out."

Amanda gasped for air. "Can we… hole up somewhere for a minute?"

"No!" Private Jacob snapped. "We'll get caught!"

Amy shook her head. "It won't matter if we're exhausted." She ran to the nearest door and threw it open. "Let's hide here."

Checks nodded. "Okay."

Everyone filed in--

And gasped.

It was the chapel.

And it was beautiful.

Exquisite stained glass windows of Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary, the Apostle Paul. Gold chandeliers. Pews of marble.

And in front of it all, kneeling, was the Priest.

The Priest slowly stood and turned. "Hello, my sons and daughters."

Everyone flinched.

Amanda felt a bizarre urge to kneel in front of the robed man. He radiated a powerful sense of calm, peace, and quiet energy. Nevertheless, she kept her Guard up. "Well--"

Ignoring her, the Priest smiled. "You will be going to a better place. The home of the Lord Jesus Christ. You will be Judged."

Amanda gulped.

"Hey!" Private Jacob was boldened by the Priest's lack of a weapon, and his own ceremonial sword. "Thou shalt not kill, right? You can't touch us."

[AN: Writing this quote from memory, here.] "Thou shalt not fear that which can destroy only the body, but thou shalt fear which can destroy both the body and the soul in Hell," the Priest quoted. "It isn't killing. Only God may kill."

Before Amanda could try to correct the strange Priest, the man pulled a pistol and fired it into the air.

BLAM

"May God have mercy upon thy souls."

BLAM  
THUMP  
BLAM  
THUMP  
BLAM  
THUMP  
BLAM  
THUMP  
BLAM  
THUMP  
BLAM  
THUMP  
THUMP

The Cook slashed and slashed, forcing Kurt to stumble sideways. "[Any ideas?]" Kurt asked.

"[Not one,]" Wersh responded.

"[Lovely.]"

Wersh was panicking. He couldn't morph in the tight space, and he wasn't very strong, and he couldn't think of anything to do that wasn't stupid…

Except maybe fighting directly?

Wersh dashed up behind the Cook and slammed her in the head. The Cook stumbled--

Then recovered, swiveled, and smacked him in the face.

Wersh fell backwards onto a counter, scattering carrots everywhere. The Cook raised her knife over his, Wersh's, head and --

WHOOSH

Amanda opened her eyes and looked around.

First, she saw the crumpled bodies of Lieutenant Checks, Private Jacob, Amy Mainer, and Wersh's party.

Then she saw the Priest. He lay face down in a pool of blood.

A spike protruded from his back.

Amanda turned to see Andrei and Evan. Evan was still trembling. Amanda imagined what Evan must have done and winced.

Then Evan was tugging her arm. "Come on. Checks had the right idea. Let's keep going up."

Wersh watched as a blackened sword slashed through the Cook's side. The Cook spasmed, convulsed, and fell atop Wersh, the knife missing his head by inches.

Kurt saw this too, and then turned and saw the wielder of the blade.

It was Major Mann Wagner. "Howdy."

Kurt managed a weak wave.

Evan, Andrei, and Amanda dashed out of the bloody chapel. 

"Which way up?" Amanda yelled.

"How should I know?" cried Evan.

Suddenly, Andrei gasped and stopped running. Amanda swung around and screamed.

Andrei was hovering a foot above the floor.

And he was clutching his throat.

Kurt, Wersh, and Mann dashed across the lawn, heading for freedom.

"Shouldn't we go back and find our friends?" yelled Kurt.

"I have a feeling the Staff is trying only to kill us. I don't think our heirs count anymore if we die, because then they wouldn't be friends of a living Wagner anymore." Mann was the only one that didn't appear to be tired. 

"So they're safe?"

"Until we die or they know they can't catch us -- in other words, if we leave. Which is why we should stay in the gatehouse -- on the grounds, but well defended and able to come to our companions' rescue." 

Kurt reached the gatehouse first. "Come on, let's--"

He was slammed on the head. "Ow…" Kurt fell on the ground and looked up.

The Guard was standing over him, a spear held at his side. He smiled and wagged a finger at Kurt.

Kurt swore.

Mann cursed as well as his sword caught in his scabbard. He knew he wouldn't be able to save Kurt in time--

Then he saw Wersh.

Wersh was _changing_. His body was shifting and elongating like molten wax--

Then it hit Mann.

Wersh the heir was now Wersh the centaur.

"What on Earth?"

Then he saw Wersh charge--

The Guard heard Wersh's pounding hooves, saw Wersh's new form, and made a decision. He swung his spear around so it faced the centaur.

How, if the centaur continued charging, it would gore itself before slamming into the Guard at a couple dozen miles per hour. If it pulled up, he could slay the semiconscious boy on the ground, then turn and face his new adversary.

Either was, he was certain one would die.

He was right.

The witch Lin Pong smiled as she held Andrei above the floor. "I'm sorry, am I hurting him?" She gestured again, and Andrei's watch ruptured, revealing the centaur. "Er, it?"

"Put… him… down…" Evan growled. He began to sprout spikes.

"Oh? Why?" Lin winked. "I don't listen to porcupines."

Evan suddenly fired several spikes at Lin. They thudded around the witch. "I'm warning you…"

Lin sighed. "Oh very well. I'll put him down." She waved her arms, and Andrei slammed into the wall and slid down. "Happy?" 

Amanda ran over to the fallen centaur. "Andrei? Andrei?" She felt for a pulse. It was there, but it was very weak.

And then it vanished.

Amanda choked back a scream and felt for another pulse at a different spot, then for a heartbeat. "No…"

Evan's face changed from anger to fury. "You… little… bitch…" He grew a spike out of his hand and charged.

Lin smiled, muttered, and fired a fireball.

Wersh first smashed into the spear, which went right through his flesh and shredded his heart. As he died at what he loved, protecting others, a smile lit his face.

Then his body slammed into the guard. The man, strong and experienced though he was, was thrown several feet backwards. His spear dropped silently to the grass.

But he still had his knife, and he jumped up brandishing it ready to slay the heir Kurt--

And he heard a low growl.

He turned, and--

Mann had been so stunned by Wersh's changing into a centaur that he had forgotten all about stabbing the Guard.

As it turned out, he didn't need to.

A wolf jumped out at the Guard and began tearing him to shreds!

Mann saw the Guard struggle, and nodded. The Guard fought exactly as Mann would have, with strength combining tactical smarts. Still, the Guard was a man and the wolf was a wolf, and it was about a minute before the Guard was but a bloody mess of limbs and blood.

Then Mann saw yet another amazing thing.

The wolf also began to melt and shift, albeit with much less grace and more… brute force, Mann supposed, than Wersh. Slowly, the thing stood erect and changed to a familiar figure.

The figure of Fann Wagner.

"Alas," the werewolf muttered, "It is painful to remorph under the blessed full moon, but I have no choice." He began gently shaking Kurt. "My friend, arise…"

Kurt came around as Fann shook him. "Unh… what?"

"Awake, Kurt Wagner. I have slain your adversary the Guard. Rise, and leave this wretched place--"

Mann approached. "What are you?"

"I do not understand."

Mann thought about drawing his sword, but decided against it. "When you did that wolf-shift thing. Like when Wersh changed into a centaur. What are you?"

"He's a werewolf."

Mann and Fann looked down at Kurt.

Kurt first looked at Fann. "I've been around werewolves for a long time, I know how to tell when there's one in disguise." He turned back to Mann. "And Wersh is a were-centaur, or a weretaur. Please don't hurt them." Kurt staggered to his feet. 

"Um…" Mann looked uncomfortable. "First off, Wersh is dead…"

Kurt winced. "Oh… oh, oh no…" he began to cry.

"Second, I actually think it's kind of cool that you have these abilities -- do you have any powers, Kurt?"

Kurt continued to sob for a long moment. He did not answer.

"Kurt." Mann walked up to Kurt and took hold of his shoulder. "If you have powers, I need to know. I need to factor in every variable that I can for us to get out of this place."

"I suppose." Kurt stopped sobbing, though still teary-eyed, and nodded resignedly. "Don't scream." 

He, Kurt, flicked off his holowatch.

The Knight watched them from a second-story window. He gasped as he saw the youngest heir -- Kurt, that was his name -- transform into a demonic being.

He was rather sad the Priest was dead. The Priest would probably have loved an exorcism.

But right now, it was all up to the Knight. He readied himself, and --

Evan ran towards Lin.

Lin giggled and turned, waiting to hear the satisfying explosion of the fireball -- really, a flame surrounding a solid core of magic, but the science didn't matter…

Her reverie was interrupted by a bizarre 'CRACK' and the sight of the fireball shooting just above her head and out a window to explode fabulously over the courtyard.

She swiveled to see Evan charging a scorched spike. She loosed another fireball, watched him parry it back at her -- and then felt instant, searing, fiery pain as the fireball blasted into her chest. She collapsed.

Lin Pong looked up to see Evan approaching, spike held ready. "Mercy!"

"Not a chance." Evan plunged his spike through Lin's heart.

And Amanda could only watch in horror.

Evan stood and turned to the dark-skinned girl. "Let's go."

The two headed down the hall, shaken.

Kurt looked at Mann sheepishly. "This is the real me. I can teleport too."

Mann scratched his head. "You know, I didn't expect this when I showed up."

Fann was staring at Kurt, on the other hand, with something approaching disgust or horror. Maybe both. "I refuse to ally myself with monsters and denizens of Hell!" The werewolf turned towards the gatehouse--

And a fireball blossomed out of an overhead window. It flew out into the open air and detonated, causing all the heirs in the courtyard to run for cover.

Fann snarled, "Someone must still be alive and fighting in there." He turned to Kurt. "Don't follow me."

Kurt could barely wait until Fann had vanished around the castle. "Come on, Mann, you secure the gatehouse, I'll--"

"It could be a Staff, Kurt." Man sighed. "A Staff against Dietrech. I fear I was wrong in that they were not targeting our friends. Kurt, if none of them are out by now, I think they are already dead. But I have a question of my own: he's a werewolf, right? Why was he afraid of a demon?"

"I'm not a demon!" Kurt began running back towards the castle doors. "But many creatures like him are compared to demons constantly, and are thus assumed to be evil. Because real live demons _are_ evil, by definition. I just look like one. Anyway, very few centaurs and werewolves like demons -- but that's not important!" Kurt raised his voice.

"Kurt, we cannot go back inside! Our friends are almost assuredly dead!"

"Nevertheless--"

The two of them were cut off by a shattering window only one story above them. A Knight in armor jumped through the glass, hit the ground, rolled, and drew his sword.

Mann smiled, his argument with Kurt forgotten. "At last, a challenge!"

Amanda and Evan sprinted down a hallway, heedlessly running past doors and jumping over obstacles. 

Until Amanda tripped over the broken body of the Maid.

The Maid had been violently ripped to shreds. Blood was everywhere. Her face was frozen in pure, abject terror.

Evan's face hardened even more. "Come on," he said. "If Dietrech and his crew can do that to the Staff, I don't want to know what they can do to us. We have to take them out."

Amanda looked at Evan, shocked. "But we're just supposed to leave!"

"Do you really think Dietrech cares?" Evan snapped. "He'll kill us wherever we are, anything to ensure that no one finds us alive after this stupid game that Kurt's grandfather made up. It's us or them, Amanda. I don't intend on letting it be them."

He stormed up the stairs. Amanda followed.

Mann drew his blade and brought it down on the Knight's.

The fight was as brutal as Kurt had ever seen. He found that he just couldn't watch. He closed his eyes and listened only to the grunts of exertion and the clangs of metal on metal.

Then a cry.

Kurt opened his eyes -- and felt like crying himself. Mann was slowly sinking to the ground in a steadily growing pool of blood. He brought his hand up and grabbed the Knight's leg, like he was trying to reach the Knight's ears by climbing.

The Knight opened his visor. "[You have something to say?]"

"I… speak… no… German!" As Mann said the last word, his other arm flashed up with his sword. It went through the Knight's head. The Knight fell backwards instantly, dead in seconds.

Mann, exhausted by the exertion, collapsed to the ground.

Kurt ran over to the brilliant Major. "Mann… I am so sorry… ach, I should have helped--"

Mann grabbed Kurt's shoulder, similar to the way he'd grabbed the Knight's leg. "Kurt. Do not be sorry for me. This is the best death I could have imagined." He smiled. "Under a starry night, with a friend by my side and a sword in my gut."

Kurt blinked. "Huh?"

Mann's smile grew wider. "Promise me this, Kurt. Survive. Survive this foul night, and live to see another day." He shook Kurt's shoulder. "My friends are all dead by now, Kurt. I want to have at least one link back to this world."

Kurt did not have the heart to tell him that he would be going back into the castle. "I promise."

Mann nodded, gave a loud, hacking cough, and died.

Kurt looked at the friendly Major one last time. Then, he turned and ran back towards the front door of the castle. Somehow, he knew that the Staff and Dietrech hadn't killed everyone yet. And he wouldn't let them kill anyone else, if he could help it.

Evan ran into the two wizards in Dietrech's group almost literally. He pulled up just in time, and released several spikes, two of which thudded into Chan Lee's head.

Hon Lee, his brother, was faster. He jumped around a corned, loosed a fireball that just missed Evan -- and vanished.

Evan looked around. "Where did that--"

Amanda heard a 'thump' behind her and turned to look, but something cold and metallic pressed against her head.

"Just because I'm a sorcerer doesn't mean I don't use conventional weaponry," said Hon in a silky voice.

Evan didn't respond. He just looked at Amanda, at the gun, and at Hon, and then tiredly dropped his arms.

Hon nodded, happily. "And now, I guess honor would dictate I tie you two up and walk off." He smiled. "Except I have no honor." He pressed the trigger --

CLICK

Hon looked at the gun in confusion--

And several spikes slammed into his limbs and chest. He cried out and died.

Evan dashed over and looked at the gun. "After all that… he forgot to unlock the safety. What an idiot." He turned to Amanda. "Are you okay?"

Amanda tiredly nodded, than began to cry.

Evan was instantly at her side. "What's wrong?"

"Oh, I just want to get out of this stupid castle! There's so much death and blood and evil…" she sobbed.

Evan helped her up. "Don't worry. We're almost at the belltower, I just know it. We'll ring the bell and Kurt and Mann will come and rescue us. What chance do the other Staff and Dietrech have against Kurt?" He smiled.

"Yeah…" Amanda got to her feet. "I hope Kurt's all right."

"I know he is," Evan said. "He's impossible to keep down."

Fann came upon a mounted set of armor. Fann gazed critically at the pieces, then shattered the glass with a well-placed blow and picked up an old battle-ax.

He no longer had any confidence in Kurt or his group. If he came across his own group, or those of Mann and Wersh, he would save them. If he came upon Dietrech's group, he would slay them. And if he came upon the demon's…

He would slay them as well. 

Evan and Amanda climbed the last ladder and finally reached the belltower. Evan crossed the ground and rang the bell.

Dietrech was waiting.

With several words, Amanda and Evan were bound by magical ropes. They toppled over. More hand gestures and words, and the two teens shrieked in pain as Dietrech smiled.

"Ah, how good to know that the occupants of this place shall dwindle from six to four." The warlock paced. "The Butler should die fast. Fann as well. And Kurt… Kurt will be the easiest of the three."

Evan flinched. "Shut up! Kurt will come, and Mann too."

"Did you not listen? Mann is dead, friends of Kurt. It is Fann that is the third living Wagner."

Amanda shrugged as best she could, tied up like she was. "So? You underestimate Kurt."

Dietrech blasted the two other teens with more pain. "Oh really?"

Kurt was scampering up the stairs. He had no weapon, save for Mann's almost-destroyed ceremonial sword. He doubted the thing would be able to parry one more lightning bolt or blade, but it was better than nothing. He could stop and grab another weapon from the armory chests he knew had to be scattered about, but he didn't. It would take too much time. His friends might still be alive, and he would waste no time in finding them.

Fann leaped up the ladder leading to the belltower. He had heard the bell and knew that someone was alive up there.

Unfortunately, they were not the people he was hoping to see.

His eyes first fell upon Amanda and Evan, tied up and crying in pain. Fann wondered briefly if they were demons too, or if they weren't, whether or not they knew Kurt's… secret. He decided to think about it later.

Then he saw Dietrech.

He raised his ax. "Where is my party?"

Dietrech flashed a predatory grin. "Dead."

Fann roared and charged.

Amanda watched as Dietrech threw a lightning bolt at Fann. The blast hit him on the arm… but Fann paused for only a second, shook the arm, and continued.

A flicker of worry appeared on Dietrech's face. He threw two more bolts, then three more after that. Most missed, and Fann seemed to ignore those that hit, although they did slow him down.

Fann steadily neared Dietrech, who was almost at the edge of the tower. He screamed and dashed to the side. Fann jumped at him--

And felt a soft push of air knocking him back a step, to the tower's edge. Fann's feet hit the ground--

And went through it.

The ground itself was an illusion. The tower was a full foot shorter than it had looked.

Dietrech laughed as Fann overbalanced, screamed, and fell.

He was still laughing as Fann's body splatted against the ground. 

Amanda shut her eyes after Fann fell off the tower. Suddenly, it was all too easy to believe that Kurt was down there too, speared by the Knight or butchered by the Cook. She began to cry.

Dietrech didn't notice. "Ah, irony. The caring Wersh dies helping another. The warrior Mann dies fencing. The noble Fann dies nobly. Perhaps Kurt also died at what he was best at. Running away, maybe?"

"Shut UP!" Evan cried.

"I didn't say you could speak." Dietrech seemed to contemplate for a moment, then threw a fireball.

It blasted Evan apart.

Amanda screamed.

Dietrech seemed about to say something, but then he saw Kurt's head popping up from under the trapdoor, eyes wide with shock.

Kurt jumped on Dietrech, bringing his sword down--

And Dietrech dodged, leaving Kurt to fall on the hard stone, his sword to splinter. But he got up and threw himself again at Dietrech, and they began to pound each other.

_Smack!_ Kurt's nose broke. Kurt roared in pain.

_Crack!_ One of Dietrech's ribs cracked. The warlock growled.

_Punch!_ Kurt was driven back, almost off the tower. He shook off the blow--

And Dietrech fired special bolts of lightning into Kurt's arms. Kurt screamed as they went numb and began to flail.

Then, bizarrely, he smiled.

Kurt jumped on Dietrech, using only his legs. "Goodbye, Herr Wagner."

Dietrech laughed, despite being pinned on the bottom. "You're toast, brother. What will you do now, flail on me?"

Kurt grinned a feral smile--

And Dietrech saw his fangs--

And suddenly realized what Kurt was going to do.

Dietrech screamed in horror as Kurt bit deep into his throat and _tugged_.

Dietrech's throat was ripped out.

Not even a warlock could survive that.

Kurt went over to Amanda and bit through her ropes. "Where are the others?"

"Um…" Amanda sighed, "Everyone else… is dead. Just the Butler--"

"Andrei," Kurt said. "Is Andrei alive?"

Amanda began to cry. "Kurt… I'm so, so sorry…"

Kurt got up abruptly. "Come on."

"Are we leaving?"

Kurt felt feeling beginning to return to his arms. "No." The mutant looked out into the dark night. "Are any of the Staff still alive? We killed the Cook, the Guard, and the Knight."

"Just the Butler."

"Then he's where we're going." Kurt flicked off his holowatch. "I'm mad."

"But Kurt--"

"I said, I'm mad."

BAMF

Kurt reappeared in the destroyed dining room, expecting to track down the Butler.

He didn't expect the Butler to be calmly waiting for him.

"Hello, young Kurt." The Butler produced two envelopes from his jacket. "Each of these envelopes has a check for forty million dollars. Your winnings, and your girlfriend's."

Kurt swept the riches aside. "You think I still care about the money?"

"Well, yes, sir. Otherwise, you would not be down here." The Butler's eyes glinted. 

"Perhaps I have more… personal reasons, " Kurt said. "How did you pick me for this foul game? I am adopted, I'm not a Wagner by blood. Did you just want to torture me?"

"I know many things, Kurt Wagner." The Butler began to walk around the room. "You are brave. Smart. Caring. Cruel, at times. You have many of the Wagner qualities. If not by blood, then by trait.

"And no, I did not want to torture you. My dead Master, Lord Franz Wagner did. Abandoned by his sons and grandsons, left alone in a big castle with six servants, and forgotten. He loved you all, missed you all, then hated you all. That, that was torture.

"You spent so much time looking for your 'real' father that you forgot about your new one. Do you treat your new family like stand-ins? No? Then why Lord Wagner? You and your father, Wersh and his 'help,' Mann and his war games, Fann and his culture, Dietrech and his power -- not one of you even knew what your Grandfather looked like."

Kurt growled, "Maybe that was bad enough. But bad enough to deserve this? This was mad! My friends are dead! My brothers are dead!"

"Perhaps. Does it matter? You won. You should be happy, like a Wagner."

Kurt shook his head. "If that's the case… I forsake my name." His voice rose. "I am no longer a Wagner! Forget my name! Forget my family! Forget my inheritance! Keep your checks, I'm not a Wagner anymore!" He began to sob. "What else do you want?!"

The Butler said, "It isn't what I want. It's what Lord Wagner would want. He might have wanted something from a stranger that he never got from his family."

Kurt nodded. "A companion."

The crypt was cool and lit by torches. Lord Franz Wagner's coffin lay in the center of the room. Kurt walked up to it, lay his hand on it, and began speaking.

"[Hello, Mr. Wagner. I am Kurt. Just Kurt. I was Kurt Wagner. Then I realized that I did not want nor deserve the surname.

"[If only I'd known… Mr. Wagner, I'm so sorry… why didn't write? Oh, it doesn't matter, I could have checked to see if there were other Wagner's in the world…

"[Did we deserve this? All this death and destruction? Is this what you felt like? Oh, Mr. Wagner…]" He clasped the coffin in a hug, looking straight into Franz Wagner's eyes. The old man just stared back, dead.

Kurt knew not how long he lay there. However, he eventually heard Amanda say, "Kurt? We should go."

Kurt nodded. "Yes, we should."

Amanda and Kurt arrived in Berlin at dawn. Kurt turned to Amanda. "Here is where I leave you."

"But--"

"No 'buts.' I… must do some soul-searching. I am sorry." Kurt BAMFed away.

Amanda watched her shattered boyfriend leave and sighed.

Sometimes, life was evil.

Reports of a demon dressed in a boy's clothing came up around Berlin in the forests. Nothing was confirmed by a reliable source.

Troops were dispatched to search for Major Mann Wagner, but no one ever found him.

Amanda Sefton, known to be in the Major's area at the time, refused all comment on what had happened to the Major.

The body of a man known only as the Butler was found one month later. He had committed suicide.

A note next to the body said only, "My work is done."

The number of child runaways from Berlin dropped a staggering three-fourths that year.

A couple of the children said that the reason they returned was that a blue, fuzzy creature named Curt convinced them to return.

Fin.


End file.
